SHANGHAI: The Hewlett Packard (HP) Global Influencer Summit 2012 concluded at the Shanghai Expo Centre on Thursday amid talks of what is in store for technology in the future.

The growth of the Information Technology industry has been phenomenal and with innovations, driven by creativity and in some cases need, making computers less costly but more valuable than a few years ago.

With so many new products finding their way on the shelf, HP officials said that the company remained committed in serving consumers since ‘the personal computer has become a centre point in one’s lifestyle’.

While the company unveiled its fleet of laptops and printers on the summit’s first day, the second day revolved around the company’s global leadership discussing the way forward and pitching ideas of ‘relevant innovation’ to meet the growing demand of enterprises and consumers.

All in One (AiO) systems are rare in Pakistan and touch interfaces are limited to smartphones and Apple products, but the ‘way forward’, according to HP officials, is developing bendable touch screens.

A variety of touch interfaces were launched along with traditional desktop PCs but for the Pakistan market specifically, the HP t410 AiO stood out.

This computer, ideal for limited-space-offices, is powered by a single Ethernet cable and runs on only 13 watts of power.

HP Vice-President and General Manager Commercial Solutions Business Unit Jim Zafarana called it the ‘ideal’ solution to a market like Pakistan. “It follows the three standard protocols,” Zafarana told The Express Tribune. “It’s perfect for a country like Pakistan since it needs low power and solves many enterprise-related issues like space constraints as well.”

Zafarana said the AiO system, expected to be launched in August, will be priced at $429.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2012.

Passion can make you do crazy things. Boundaries cease to exist and a thin line divides passion and insanity.

The seventh Jhal Magsi Desert Challenge 2011, in a village put on the map by virtue of the event itself, had over 50 participants and the terrain – the mountains and sand – provided the perfect setting. But it’s not the sights of the village that induces the awe, it’s the extent to which the drivers go in order to conquer the terrain, the limits they cross and the hurdles they overcome, making the crowd go wild with every rev of the engine.

The journey to Jhal is annoying and frustrating but drivers still take part, bringing with them mechanics, navigators and guests, with equipment coming in from all parts of Pakistan. The obstacles exist in numbers, but so do the SUVs. Driven by passion, blessed with money and armed with the ‘bad boys’ of the road, the participants hope to enjoy every moment.

Fitness the key

Motorsports is not a form of exercise to many. The onlookers only see drivers sitting behind the wheel, oblivious of the endless training they have endured prior to taking that position. Deep concentration, sharp reflexes and optimum fitness levels remain key ingredients if success is to be tasted at this 194-kilometre track.

Some spend hours on the treadmill, others opt for yoga. But for a driver and the navigator, fitness remains key.

“You need sharp reflexes and immense concentration,” said Mansoor Halim, a navigator for one of the participants. “I was practising karate before the race in order to be fit.”

Navigators remain the drivers’ right hand men during a race. Trust defines their relationship as one wrong move can not only end their chances in the race but also their existence.

Stars of the show

Nadir Magsi, declared favourite by competitors and followers, has been termed Pakistan’s Michael Schumacher by those who have seen him drive.

A regular at almost every event, Nadir is a pioneer, one who has kept motorsport alive in Pakistan. The veteran has raced in the deserts of Cholistan and has delighted crowds in Karachi’s Autocross. Despite the experience, and talent, Jhal’s terrain is always competition enough.

“My advice to the drivers has always been to keep things simple,” said Nadir. “It’s one of the toughest terrains and the body experiences enormous pressure here in Jhal.”

Despite the excitement and aura that surrounds the event, participation is quite low and most drivers are in their 40s. The youth is interested and passionate but the rally really is for those who can afford to spend a lot of money without thinking of a return.

There exist mixed feelings towards motorsports in Pakistan. With passion, the talent comes aplenty and the infrastructure for such events does exist, especially with a foreign driver taking part in this year’s contest. But all we see is a bunch of courageous individuals driving the sport forward.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2011.

JHAL: Nadir Magsi, a pioneer in promoting motorsports in Pakistan, has garnered praise after clinching the Jhal Magsi Desert Challenge 2011 in the Balochistan village on Sunday.

Few doubted Nadir to win the race and fewer were sceptical of his ability to complete the 194-kilometre track. He crossed the finish line amid fireworks and celebratory gunshots as locals went berserk on the home-town hero’s return.

National Motorsports, a member club of the Motorsports Association of Pakistan (MAP), was responsible for the organisation of the Jhal Magsi rally and race director Rehan Qureshi could not stop praising the veteran driver.

“He is as gifted as it gets,” Qureshi told The Express Tribune. “Motorsports in Pakistan is finished if you take Nadir out of the equation. I’d say he’s Pakistan’s [Michael] Schumacher.”

Nadir’s importance can be judged from the fact that the driver is involved in every project that pertains to Pakistan motorsports. His Mitsubishi Evolution is one of the highlights on the Autocross track and the driver’s Land Cruiser is what caused many locals to show up at the Jhal event.

“There are very few people promoting motorsports in Pakistan and Nadir played a huge role,” added Qureshi. “You just need to sit with him once while he’s driving and you’ll realise his expertise behind the wheel.”

Experience helped my cause: Nadir

Driving since an early age, Nadir remains humble off the wheel. But behind it, the
veteran driver is a treat to watch. He admitted that the Jhal Magsi track was difficult and maintained that experience was a huge factor behind his win.

“I had to be slow at times,” said Nadir. “Experience mattered and I’m glad I finished in a good time.

“The event was a huge success and we plan on holding more events to keep motorsports alive in Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2011.

JHAL: Nadir Magsi, driving a 4.5litre Land Cruiser, clinched the A category of the Jhal Magsi Desert Challenge 2011 followed by Qasim Saidhi and Ronnie Patel.

Nadir, the favourite to win the rally, did not disappoint his home crowd and completed the 194-kilometre track in two hours, three minutes and 40 seconds — the fastest time across the four categories. Saidhi recorded a time of two hours, three minutes and 40 seconds while Patel took two hours, six minutes and 35 seconds.

There were few surprises as the three drivers, top in qualifying, completed the podium in their category that saw six of the 13 participants getting a Did Not Finish (DNF) including the Turkish duo of Burcu Cetinkaya and her navigator Cicek Guney.

The B category was won by Rana Sumair Noon with a 3.0litre Toyota Vigo with a time of two hours, 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Syed Asif Imam finished in second place while Abbas Akbar came in third. Four of the 10 drivers in the category failed to finish.

Hasan Ali Magsi topped the times in the C category followed by Mukesh Chawla and Mahmood Majeed while 6 of the 13 participants recording DNFs. Mohammad Rafiq finished first followed by Aminullah Khan and Muhammad Hasnain Haider to complete the winners of the D category, which featured the 1.3litre Jimny, and saw eight DNFs in a total of 15 drivers.

‘It was difficult to even finish’

Nadir said the track was as difficult as it gets. “It was a very difficult track,” Nadir told The Express Tribune. “I had to be very careful and drove cautiously in the mud and river. It’s easy to get carried away but even crossing the finish line is an achievement.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2011.

The Rs2-million event will see drivers from all over the country as well as the Turkish duo of Burcu Cetinkaya and navigator Cicek Guney, the only foreign team at the event. Vehicles will be divided into four categories and will compete on the 194-kilometre track – that comprises rivers and mountains – with the top three in each taking home the prize money.

‘Difficult terrain’

Nadir Magsi, the favourite to win his ‘A’ category, advised drivers to keep it simple.

“There’s a lot of variation on the track,” Magsi told The Express Tribune. “It includes mud, rivers, mountains and it’s a curvy track. It’s not going to be easy and drivers need to treat this as a race.”

Magsi, one of the pioneers of motorsports in Pakistan who have kept the sport alive in the country, also highlighted the increased participation at the event.

“The numbers have increased this time and that’s a positive sign for us. This is what we wanted and with a bit of support, Pakistan can be put on the motorsports world map.”

Magsi fastest in qualifying

Meanwhile, the veteran was also the quickest in the qualifying that took place yesterday and will lead the pack in the rally today.

Magsi, in his 4.5-litre Land Cruiser, posted a time of one minute and 17.33 seconds followed by Ronnie Patel, a staggering seven seconds behind in his Mitsubishi Evo.

Meanwhile, Qasim Saidhi was third quickest and posted one minute and 27.06 seconds. Cetinkaya, who timed one minute and 37.16 seconds, will be 16th in the firing order.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2011.

KARACHI: Pakistan number one Imran Shahzad will face Mohammad Asif Toba in the final of the third Jubilee General Insurance Ranking Snooker Championship today after both cueists won their semi-finals with relative ease.

While Toba outclassed former Asian Championship finalist Khurram Agha 6-1 in the first semi-final, Shahzad overcame former Pakistan number one Shahid Aftab 6-3 in the second to seal his progress.

Shahzad, recovering from dengue, lost the first frame but found the going rather easy. A 71-32 scoreline saw the country’s top cueist level the match before the second came his way 90-36.

With two frames and a 2-1 lead in the bag, Shahzad’s placement and potting got better with every shot as he hit a break of 109 in the fourth frame. Although the top-seed missed the clearance on a difficult pink, the confidence was there to see as he hit the tournament’s fourth century break.

Aftab saw Shahzad win the fifth frame 70-57 before a close battle eventually saw him clinch the sixth frame on the black. However, that was it for the former national champion as Shahzad won the next two frames 65-20, 72-54 to take the match and set up a final showdown.

“I’ve been battling with illness but it’s getting better now,” Shahzad told The Express Tribune. “The confidence I’ve gained in the semi-final, especially the century break, will help me against Toba. He’s playing well, so it’ll be a good match.”

While Shahzad praised his opponent-to-be in the final, Toba showed his class in the other semi. After going down in the first frame, Toba made Agha look mediocre as he clinched the next frames 68-38, 53-45, 62-58, 60-47, 80-0, 82-30.

Toba, who already has the tournament’s highest break (138) to his name, hit a break of 80 in the sixth frame to give a taste of things to come today.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2011.

KARACHI: The Pakistan under-18 team left for Japan yesterday to take part in the ninth Asia Baseball Cup that begins on August 28.

Eight countries vie for the Asian under-18 title with Pakistan placed against the hosts, Taiwan and Hong Kong in their group while Korea, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Thailand form the other group that will vie for the title.

PBF hope for a good show

The Pakistan Federation of Baseball (PFB) was hopeful of a good show from the players at the five-day tournament where the 18-man squad – accompanied by four officials – capable of surprising their opponents, according the PFB Secretary Khawar Shah.

“These boys can go a long way,” Shah told The Express Tribune. “Our senior team is ranked 25th in the world so we have a lot of talent. This under-18 team is a reflection of the seniors. Naturally, they are expected to do well and have the necessary skills to achieve that,” added Shah, who is the team leader of the 22-man Pakistan contingent.

Players upbeat over chances

Despite not making the headlines with regards to their tour of Japan, the squad remained confident of making the country proud.

Catcher Abdul Momin, an experienced member of the side, said the hard work of the players will pay off.

“All of us have worked hard for the tournament,” said Momin. “There’s no reason why we can’t do well against these teams.”

While Momin sounded optimistic, there was one more reason for Pakistan to be confident about. Their captain Abdullah and another member, Asadullah, have regularly played in Japan’s local league and are already familiar with the environment and conditions.

Apart from these players, Hasan Arif Butt, who has been declared the team’s fastest pitcher by Momin, will be another player to watch out for when Pakistan lock horns against the Asian teams.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th,  2011.

Cricket and baseball might have similarities – the need to hit as powerfully as one can – but the former greatly outweighs the latter when it comes to fan following and being one’s aspiration.

While it lacks popularity, the sport in Pakistan is not a lost cause altogether. Ranked 25th in the world, Pakistan won the 2010 Asia Baseball Cup and were also crowned the Saarc champions in Lahore earlier this year. However, the news hardly spread as wildfire. There were no celebrations and hardly any talk or plans of development at national level.

Schools, where sport is an important ingredient to the curriculum, has included baseball in its ranks but the level of competitiveness and enthusiasm still lags and lacks. There are inter-school tournaments but none that can grab the spotlight.

If anything that is worth bringing up, it’s the achievement of the Pakistan national team. Getting their hands on the inaugural Saarc trophy was a huge achievement. Even more was the power and consistency of one pitcher, Ehsanullah, who consistently delivered over 150 kilometres per hour.

This man, from Vehari in Punjab, was the highlight of the Pakistan team. His performance (read speed) was enough for him to be called up by the LG Twin Baseball Club in Korea, who signed up the Pakistan Army player for eight weeks of training.

But the exposure for the rest is still lacking. This does not bother the Pakistan Baseball Federation Secretary General Khawar Shah, who said that performance speaks for itself.

“We let the achievements do the talking,” said Shah. “We can beat our own drum but I think that is what our performance on the field is for. Pakistan is much better than India and Iran and this was proven by our performance in the Saarc Championship. And the signing of Ehsanullah speaks volumes of our players’ credentials.”

The official did not sound like a worried man. He spoke at length about the various upcoming tournaments, adding that talent was being identified to carry Pakistan forward in the field of baseball.

Pakistan under-18 team is en route to the Baseball Federation Asia (AAA) Championship where they will compete against Japan, the giants of the continent, among many others.

“The camp [for the event] is currently underway and this is our chance to identify the talent,” said Shah, referring to the event that starts on August 27. “The players who show good performance will be singled out for the senior team within two years.”

And while the country feels baseball is not being given due respect, it’s time for a re-think since Pakistan are ready to take on the Asian giants in the upcoming tournament.

The writer is a senior sub-editor at The Express Tribune

Pakistan and its glory

1996 – Silver in International Thailand Baseball Championship

1997 – Bronze in 2nd Asia Baseball Cup

2001 – Silver in 4th Asia Baseball Cup

2002 – Silver in 5th Asia Baseball Cup

2004 – Silver in 6th Asia Baseball Cup

2007 – Gold in 7th Asia Baseball Cup

2008 – Silver in 8th Asia Baseball Cup

2010 – Gold in 10th Asia Baseball Cup

2011 – Gold in SAARC Baseball Cup

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2011.

‘Respect a man’s car, the man respects you.’ This is a maxim automobile-obsessed men live by, and it is very true.

These words, uttered by souped-up-car movie superhero Jason Statham in Transporter 2, rightly acknowledge how close a man’s car is to his heart. To men who like cars, these shiny beasts are something like a trophy wife… or a celebrity best friend. Gone are the days when cars were just a means to take you from point A to point B. They are a reflection of your taste and your lifestyle… and they need to be coddled and pampered too.

Pakistani mechanics, always expert at making magic with spare parts and suspiciously-sourced materials, began receiving a lot more clients who wanted to majorly modify their cars after a series of high-profile car flicks hit the big screen… most notably The Fast and The Furious. After this movie debuted in Pakistan, you would see youth gather on deserted streets past midnight, showing off their souped up cars and racing into the darkness. The only thing missing from the scene were the chicks in miniskirts. The game “Need For Speed” also helped accelerate the trend, as did a series of other car-themed movies like The Transporter series.

So how do these car fanatics keep up with the Joneses? From visual modifications like body kits, to side skirts and extended bumpers, the trend has evolved, and with it, a car is transformed from being an ordinary member of the family to a high-performance, flashy accessory.

“A car is very personal,” says Mansoor Halim, a regular participant at the Autocross Race in Karachi, where both the driver and his vehicle are put to the test. “I modified mine to specifically meet the needs of Autocross. The car needed to be stable had to be able to take sharp turns… so it was designed that way.”

Halim’s requirements had more to do with suspension and stability and not speed per se. A car’s suspension, if it’s working well, maximises the friction between the vehicle’s tyres and the road’s surface, ensuring that the car steers well, absorbs shocks and bumps, and handles smoothly. A good suspension, an air intake, and a full exhaust system are some of the key things Halim needed for his Civic. And while the modifications robbed him of well over Rs100,000 Halim had no problem boasting about the expense, saying that he treated his car like a spoilt child.

“When it comes to passion,” says Halim, “you don’t think about money. You want to watch movies in your car? You can choose between a plasma, LED or LCD screen. It’s all about one’s tastes and preferences.”

And he is right. A car is a luxury that is customised to suit one’s taste. While Halim’s car is more about getting traction, there are others who want to do a 0-100kmph run in just a few seconds.

For them, the engine is what they lay their eyes on, what they dig into their bank accounts for. Air intakes, the suspension, headers, and full exhaust systems are some of the things they need when they set out to modify their wheels — parts that allow the car to breathe better increase engine performance and speed. Yes, it is treated like a particularly picky human being.

Taha Ali Zaidi, owner of Carborn, caters to these needs. A car fanatic, who channelled his enthusiasm in setting up a business when he was 16, he makes aficionados’ dreams come true. And while he has become a thorough professional by spending seven years in the field, there are some independent artists who help themselves. They spend hours browsing through parts and accessories that can make their ride look and feel better.

After all, every one of the car aficionados is a self-proclaimed mechanic, an expert in the field with an informal diploma in car modifications.

“Everyone who comes to us has his own set of requirements,” says Hammad Poori, who owns a car workshop called Optimum Motorsports. Poori, himself a car fanatic, knows pretty much everything there is to know about cars. Yet, he does not tell customers what to buy.

“There used to be a time when we would guide the customers. Now they know everything! The exposure they have had has helped them learn and now they tell us what they need,” says Poori, who sounds more like a middleman arranging parts.

As Poori speaks, customers flit in and out of his shop and call in requesting specific parts from Thailand, China, Italy and the US. They know everything and it is an impressive display of knowledge, to the point of being scary for Poori. It’s never good if the clients know too much.

But Poori remains cool and shrugs off any potential concern. “See, there are three types of customers,” he says. “The first are wannabe car fanatics. Theirs is a family car that cannot be modified to the extreme so they just get the basic stuff. For them, it’s an attempt to look cool… and modifications are a superficial fix.”

“Then there is another kind that is at the middle level,” continues Poori. “They have a limited budget and start off with low-level engine modifications. Spark plugs, plug wires, and maybe they’ll get an intake six months later.”

There is an obvious change in tone and excitement when Poori mentions the third kind of customers. These are the car worshippers. A breed who devote their lives to their car and treat it better than they would their spouse. For them, even a sports car needs modification and, since money is not a concern, jazzing up their wheels can cost more than the car itself.

These are the kind of people who want to re-invent their cars. Their cars are custom-made and everything that is under the hood gets replaced by parts that are worth a fortune.

And while the parts may be worth enough for a carjacker to retire with, this trend has witnessed a decline. “There was a time when I used to sell a lot more. Now it’s gone down because people have become cautious… with their money and their cars,” adds Poori.

Don’t be surprised if these people anthropomorphise their cars, lovingly referring to them as ‘baby’… because with the amount of money they spend on their cars, it’s a little hard to think of that four-wheeled beauty as an inanimate object.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, May 29^th, 2011.

He seems almost in freefall, skating downhill with an air of complete abandon. On these eight wheels, Mohammad Fareed feels invincible. Inline skating is his passion and he has been skating since 2000.

It’s not been an easy ride. Though he got badly injured while skating in the same year, instead of getting deterred, it just made his resolve stronger. “Wounds heal easy,” he says. “It’s the passion that doesn’t get satisfied.”

Rollerskating shares the fate of all sports that are not cricket in Pakistan — it is doomed to fade into the background. You would find more aspiring cricketers in Karachi alone than potential roller skaters in the entire country. But for 26-year old Fareed rollerskating is both a passion and his bread and butter.

Fareed goes onto his next stunt, manoeuvering through intricately placed cones on a slope. Just when your gaze wanders elsewhere, Fareed notices and delivers a punch. He is now skating on one foot, the other level with his head as he looks at you with eyes hungry for appreciation.

Fareed has learnt many solo stunts on his own, since coaching for this sport is rare, but now he works as a trainer at some local clubs and is a teacher at three different schools.

“There were no facilities when I started and I learnt these skills on my own. But now I want the younger kids to have someone to look up to,” explains Fareed. He started his coaching sessions in 2001 and is now employed by various organisations and schools who want rollerskating to be part of their sports curriculum.

As long as he’s on skates all eyes are glued on him, but this time he’s going for his bag, taking out smaller skates for the students walking towards him.

Sheharyar is 11 and Alizeh is not yet nine, but their skating skills are phenomenal.This brother and sister pair are perfectly in sync and their light, easy movements encourage me to put on some skates myself. It isn’t as if the two kids were doing something out of the blue. How hard can it be to balance oneself on eight wheels and move and shake a bit? If the kids can do it, so can I.

Barely three seconds after kicking into gear, I fall out of balance and learn my lesson the hard way. The experience is not pleasant. As I put away the skates, I see the kids passing each other mischievious smiles while continuing to skate in perfect rhythm. Right now my pride is hurt more than my rear end

It’s getting dark but the party has just begun. Fareed and his pupils are soon joined by his brother Usman. The 20-year-old is as unlike Fareed as possible, a tall, rough-looking young man. But like his brother, as soon as the skates go on, grace and elegance soon follow.

Looking at these four, one can’t help but wonder why this sport remains on the margins.

“It requires a lot of time and hard work,” says Usman as he skates up the slope. “You have bikers doing stunts while driving, though there is no infrastructure or facilities for them. This is the kind of talent this country has. It shows the passion that people have.”

How else would you explain all the good news — be it extraordinary O’levels results or 19 girls fitting into a Smart car to break world records — that still manages to spring out of Pakistan, despite all the doomsday predictions? Passion is what drives this country, and Fareed and Usman have truckloads of it. They display it in their next stunt on the road: cat’s eyes on the roads have just been used for another purpose, that of an impromptu obstacle course. The track, designed to separate the road, has become a skaters’ paradise. Fareed displays immaculate balance and before you know it, he reaches a speed of 50 kilometres an hour, disappearing into the sunset as we watch in wonder.

TIPS ON ROLLERSKATING

1. Go for quality. Buying a pair of fancy-looking but low-quality skates may end up costing you more in the long run as they will not only break faster, but may end up causing you injuries.

2. Invest in protective gear. Wear a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads. Looking a little geeky is a small price to pay for avoiding serious injury.

3. Watch where you skate.  Avoid skating on or near busy roads for obvious reasons.

4. You should know how to use your brakes. You must also know when and where to use the brakes. Brakes can save your life.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, April  3^rd, 2011.