This pen is most definitely mightier than a sword

KARACHI: Ten-year-old Maqdam Khan, who claims he has made the world’s largest ballpoint pen and sunglasses, aspires to see his name printed in the Guinness Book of World Records

Given a little help with the entry fee, his dream may well come true.

Maqdam has made a ballpoint pen that is 26 feet tall and has a nib that weighs at least six pounds. Meanwhile, his sunglasses are nine feet long and two feet high.

“I came up with the idea to make the biggest pen and  sunglasses and when I told my father, he bought me all the material,” exclaims Maqdam, excited to have an opportunity to represent Pakistan in the world.

His parents have also extended their support and his father readily supplied him with steel, wood and ink for the pen and iron rods and glass for the shades.

Maqdam’s father, Naeem Khan’s only concern is that they may be unable to afford the fee to enter the world records.

“We want Maqdam to enter the Guinness Book of World Records and if the government helps us out, we might to able to cover the entry fee,” he hoped.

According to Maqdam’s parents, so far there is no ballpoint pen in the world that is bigger than the one that their child has made.

“My son would always make things but we never thought he’d aim to break world records one day,” said his proud mother, Aasia.

Maqdam has also received support from his neighbours who were initially surprised that a 10-year-old boy has been able to achieve so much.

If Maqdam manages to make his way to the Guinness Book of World Records, he will join the ranks of Shoaib Akhtar, who was ranked the fastest bowler in 2003, and Muhammad Ilyas, who became the youngest civil judge in Lahore 1952.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2010.