Wikileaks or hypocrisyleaks..

I felt rather contented over the previous week to see that Pakistanis are not alone when it comes to hypocrisy, window dressing and hypocrisy. The alluring diplomats of developed countries are equally ‘immodest and cynic’ in calling their allies, friends and foes with the most coarse connotation. Funny to see that rival parties in Pakistan are in disbelief to read (an art that major representatives of parties lack) and pathetically debate on tv, names and references about their beloved leaders by ‘brethren’ heads of state, cruelly puncturing their personality-worship mania.

Hypocrisy is not just a trait of south Asians but western developed nations are equally hypocrite when it comes to vested interest. The difference is only that their hypocrisy does not extend to hamper their countries and economies while we tend to divulge in the hypocrisy to the extent of cutting off our own roots.

It is not news for all common newsreaders the revalations by WIkileaks. However it is shocking to witness display of indistinguishable mimicking hypocrisy around the globe. Example, USA on one hand condemns Wikileaks being irresponsible by revealing how dirtily USA operates within its circle of allies and foes while on the other hand states that the content of the massive US document leak by WikiLeaks underlines broad world concern over Iran’s nuclear program. So take what works for you and thrash the rest. Pakistan on one hand negates the sanctity of said documents labeling it a conspiracy to malign ‘brotherly relations’ between Pakistan and arab countries while on other hand using the same documents to happily verify that Pakistan refused a scheduled visit to some unidentified nuclear facility. Besides wonder why the documents are still pointing towards Pakistan primarily, why isn't there any other to talk over a cable, i mean cup of tea? Need I go further?

While in the house, on one hand we see self proclaimed mullah on tv and logger heads on roads demand death sentence for Aasia Bibi while we see same people keeping mum on the shameless increasing harassment cases being registered against these religious cleric. And this is indeed the most evil form of the hypocrites. Interestingly, 80% of population suffers wound by wound staggering cuts made by inflation dinosaur but 20% of the remaining population is busy in mindless PDA on facebook, one thing I despise more than hypocrisy!

However it is a relief to see that these revelations for all those who equate arabs as natural leaders of Muslim world (ignoring however unfairly they hold on to power) and shying away from their hideous acts of malpractices, nothing could be further from the truth. Just like all non-muslim countries, all the Muslim states are interested in protecting their own vested interests rather than looking out for each other. Do we need more to verify than ‘not-so-shocking’ revelation that Saudi Arabia had urged the US to attack Iran and end its nuclear programme. Remember what Libya's brotherly love has ended Pakistan in? The past of these countries is not so shiny as well.

The only magic that I hope Wikileaks may cast on us rationalization. The whole world knows how Pakistanis as a nation and individually have outperformed the most challenging situations. Also, nature has been rather generous in blessing Pakistan with the most fertile and scarce resources. So instead of fretting on our genetic capability versus the west, finding excuse to eat each other's head out and look for opportunities to befoul others, its important to direct our efforts for betterment of our individual lives, families and ofcourse positive energies result in collective good. Things have never changed for good at a snap so rationale and progressive thinking is the only sane option for keeping our families, nation intact. Those giving silly argument of need of revolution, give them a history book and tell them revolutions always require blood and the end is not always for the good.

As for visionary leaders for our country, (special advice to Ayesha Tammy Haq as I am tired of reading her columns on her 'quest' for joining politics) remember the rule that 'fraudulent once is fraudulent forever'!

Pity the Nation...

After a gap of more than one month I am back to my blog. Partially my personal commitments were keeping me away but I waded off primarily to glance back to the not so happy yet evenful year. Surprised to see that over the last two years and even last 5 and ten years nothing has actually changed for good for 'janta' i.e. ordinary people living in Pakistan. Things had never been ideal but sadely the speed of deterioration has actually accelerated manifold during the last two years. I could only 'Pity the nation' just like Khalil Gibran did. Sharing it with you so it goes off my head to yours!

Pity the Nation
By Khalil Gibran

My friends and road fellows,
Pity the Nation that is full of beliefs
And empty of religion

Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave,
Eats bread it does not harvest,
And drinks a wine that flows
Not from its own winepress

Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as Hero,
And that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful

Pity the nation that despises a passion in its dream,
Yet submits in its awakening

Pity the nation that raises not its voice
Save when it walks in a funeral,
Boasts not except among its ruins
And will rebel not save when its neck is laid
Between the sword and the block

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox,
Whose philosopher is a juggler,
And whose art is the art of patching and mimicking

Pity the nation that welcomes
Its new ruler with trumpetings
And farewells him with hootings,
Only to welcome another with trumpetings again

Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years
And whose strong men are yet in the cradle

Pity the nation divided into fragments,
Each fragment deeming itself a nation……………

1 Billion Rupees for Flood Relief - not Monument Petition

We need 1 billion for flood relief and rehabilitation, for people of Pakistan. spending of Rs.1 Billion of our money on a monument at this time, is clearly inappropriate, and is actually an insult to our 21.6 million fellow countrymen when we should be using all our country’s resources to help them.
Participate in the petition being signed online and speak out.

1 Billion Rupees for Flood Relief - not Monument Petition

The Hare with many Friends

I despise nepotism and I am very vocal about it. But this does not mean that mere equality means turning a blind eye towards loved ones, especially towards those whom you look upto for every step in life.
So let me add another blog wheeler who is my best pal, fatherly figure, biggest critic and enjoys being pestered around by me. Content quality, vigilent and well thought out blogpost.
A mutual guarantee that both of us are blessed with the 'inability to express our feeling through heart sinking, husky voiced utube videos'.
So I say, Hit it!

Visit:
http://avisoadee.wordpress.com

Damn you Muslims, get off my lawn...(One of the best articles I have read so far and would recommend all to read.)

Damn you Muslims, get off my lawn

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

This much we know: America needs its demons. We need our enemies, our menacing and dark-eyed nemesis, that foreign and terrifying thing we do not understand and against which we must rally and wail, push and pule, fight and destroy.

This is, as the legend goes, how we define ourselves, how we give our tribe and its happily flawed capitalist/Christian system meaning, purpose and a reason to kill anyone who dares to disagree. Too young as a country to know ourselves at any depth, too mal-educated to have any real and lasting confidence, we just lash and burn, too afraid to shut up and hear the quiet roar of our own grand irrelevance. Same as it ever was? Like you even have to ask.

Communists. Arabs. The Japanese. Blacks. Native Americans. Hippies. Gays. "Gooks." Immigrants. Chinamen. The poor. Women. Teenagers. Vegans. Science. What's the problem with this nation? What's really eating at our soul and threatening our honest love of an angry God, apple pie and giant homoerotic firearms? It ain't us. It's them. They're trying to mess with our heads, steal our freedom, impregnate our virgins, poison the water supply. Damn them to hell, and where's my shotgun?

It's in this fine American tradition that we devolve yet another notch, as we can't help but notice, on this recently passed anniversary of 9/11, yet another wretched legacy of the Dark Days of Bush, another scar, another sickness, another sociocultural STD left to us during our nation's bleakest period in modern history, a hateful little nodule of moral cancer known as rampant anti-Muslim sentiment.

Have you heard? It's the latest thing, the easiest target. Islam is now the most convenient demon available given the notable absence of all those tangible demons of yore. As evidenced by the New York furor over a proposed Islamic center to be built near Ground Zero, the tiny, rabid sects of radical fundamentalists who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks are just not good enough anymore. There simply aren't enough of them, and they live way over there, in caves, in mystery, in places we cannot spell. Plus, most of them are probably dead.

We need to expand. Why not believe the panicky media, Glenn Beck, the Tea Party dinkbuttons? Why not ignore all common sense and nuanced understanding, and instead broaden our hate to include an entire ancient religion, over a billion believers strong? That way, we'll never run out of evil. Hey, we're nothing if not resourceful. Most Republicans believe our own president is one of Them, despite how he's been a Christian his entire life. Neat!

See, in the new American mindset, all Muslims are secret Al Queda sympathizers. All lovers of Allah want America to burn, Christians to suffer and innocent white children to be stoned to death for dancing in public while eating a Happy Meal. All swarthy foreign types, even if they've lived here since birth, even if they are your nicest possible neighbor, even if they smile at you every day, actually believe violence is the truest way to heaven, where hordes of nubile virgins await and everyone can finally eat a ham sandwich. Hey, Muhammad said so, right there in the Koran! Someone should burn that damnable thing.

No matter what Obama says in his impassioned plea for empathy and tolerance, the very last thing America needs is subtle thinking, a deep understanding that we are, by definition and Constitution, a great melting pot of multiple religions and faiths, that in any given urban apartment multiplex you'll find not only multiple Muslims but also Jews, Catholics, atheists, Jainists, Hindus, Buddhists, pagans, Wiccans, recovering Mormons, even silly Scientologists and their funny little hats. To hell with that. Far too confusing.

By the way, if you would like to pause and offer deep thanks to the source of this anti-Muslim rage, you may now bow in the direction not only of Bush, but of one Dick "Black Soul" Cheney and his flying monkeys led by Karl Rove, who planted the seed during the time of the Axis of Evil, all about fake WMD and the bogus demonization of Iraq, effortlessly manipulating the panicky media and turning America's deepest tragedy into a seething outpouring of mistrust not merely for a handful of extremist dirtballs, but for all members of one of the great religions of the world.

The sentiment has since grown in fits and farts and boozy burps, fanned by Rush Limbaugh's moron Dittoheads, Glenn Beck's gullible simpletons, and of course, the Tea Party, perhaps the first significant political movement entirely dependent on our failing educational system to survive. Truly, the Tea Party might just be the dumbest gaggle of humans ever to rally around a nonsensical, as-yet-unstated worldview no one can quite spell out. Because they have no clue what the hell it is.

But they do know one thing. They are against a general Islamic takeover of America, Wal-Mart and NASCAR. They do not want their wives forced to wear a burka. They do not want to have to walk all the way to Mecca. Where is that, like, in Peru or something?

And of course, they are dead-set against the construction of that Islamic community center three blocks away from Ground Zero, on the site of a former Burlington Coat Factory, right next to skanky strip clubs and Subways and camera shops owned by, uh, Muslims and Jews and the Chinese. Because all Muslims are the same, is why. Sort of like you and I protesting, say, the construction of a Catholic church within a mile of an elementary school.

Did you know there was a Muslim prayer room inside Tower #2? Did you know many practicing Muslim-Americans died when the towers came down? It's OK. Neither did the Tea Party. Far too confusing.

Do not misunderstand: the Muslim faith, being enormous and multifaceted and therefore home to millions of beautiful, mild-mannered, humble practitioners as well as some of the most ridiculous, violent, hateful extremists in the known galaxy, is plenty deserving of scorn and derision. It is, in this way, no different than any dogmatic organized religion throughout time and history. Why let Mormons, Christians and the Catholic Church have all the fun?

Wait, did I say this enemy-invention thing was an American tradition? Far from it. Demonization of the Other as a means to boorish, violent nationalism is universal to nearly all cultures, all nations worldwide. We are, you can say, a planet of self-righteous, petulant tribes, claiming this or that strip of dirt, crying that God chose us as his most favorite, flinging feces at each other like deranged monkeys, signifying nothing. Ain't it grand?

Maybe in this greater truth, we can find a hint of reassurance. This too shall pass. The Islamic center will or won't be built, the media frenzy will die down, the Tea Party will self-flagellate itself through the mid-term elections, and suddenly no one will care about Muslims anymore because, well, we are an ADHD culture. We grow bored so easily. We gotta keep it fresh. We gotta feed the voracious 24-hour news cycle. No one can hold the title of Enemy No. 1 for very long. Praise Allah for that.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/09/15/notes091510.DTL

'what was once wrong is now simply unconventional...What is tolerated soon becomes accepted.

"The anchors of moral behaviour appear to have dragged to such depths that they no longer hold firm the ship of life: what was once wrong is now simply unconventional, and for the sake of individual freedom must be tolerated. What is tolerated soon becomes accepted. Contrarily, what was once right is now viewed as outdated, old fashioned and is often the target of ridicule."

These are words from speech of His Highness Aga Khan (IV) in 1976 at First seerat conference in Karachi, Pakistan.

At that time, Pakistan was riding high and the success of the first Muslim Summit Conference was still in the air and people were still open to some sensible debate. The arab leader praying together in Pakistan during the Islamic summit were still flashing on TV screens declaring Muslims as one united wall.

Today after mere 33 years we are not only struggling to steer our daily lives from the chaos and terror rather we have become insensitive, wooden and living savages for our fellow human beings.

This didn't happen in one or two years, not even five. The over indulgence in the Afghan war, the mullaism, the moral brigade, fluctuating tolereance for sectoral faith and vested interest protector of America washed off our abilities to see the dark thick line of falling and failing society and individual standards.

Yesterday we cursed taliban for brutality in swat, today we dig our hand in blood of neighbouring kids and watch the brutality with ease. We protect the savages to let them loose to inflict pain on other but never imagine the same inflicting pain to our loved ones.

No words for the people watching the brutal murder and for the law enforcement agencies. Another flank for hall of shame for government after this: http://tribune.com.pk/story/45537/%E2%80%98mughees-and-muneeb-were-not-robbers%E2%80%99/


The incident of Sialkot was still fresh in mind when Lahore trembles with ruthless multiple attack on Shia Mourning processions http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/06-religious-procession-attacked-in-lahore-triple-terror-blasts-leave-27-dead-290-rs-02

What we hold for future is something philosophical to discuss but what shocks at present is already ragged fabric of society, humanity and justice torn into pieces every passing day to the extent that Pakistanis may be the first nation to face the dangers of extinction by killing each others. Let alone following the Muslim tradition of honesty, integrity or tolerance we have surpassed the limits of sanity and indulged in savagely drenching our teeth in blood of our own brothers.

Sadly the time for 'chiheye', 'we should' or 'lets unite' kind of slogans has even passed and I have no conclusion for this horrible nightmares, seen in open day light getting scarier at each passing day. However I do wish that we on individual level can atleast hold on to the sane common laws of humanity, tolerance and wisdom if not for the country at least for the community that surrounds us.

Difficult times in Gilgit

"The best thing to do is publicise the government’s inattention to the area and its peoples."

"It rained very heavily all night and, at 1.40am, Wadood and I were up (trying to comfort one of the children after a nightmare) when we heard a massive ‘explosion’ and ominous rumbling for the next 10-15 seconds. I panicked, thinking that perhaps there was a landslide heading our way but thankfully nothing happened. With no sounds of alarm raised in the neighbourhood we finally went back to sleep, albeit uneasily. Early this morning a relative called to confirm that there was a massive landslide off the mountain immediately behind Jutial Mohalla – one of the largest ‘boroughs’ in Gilgit – but because there is a dense fog sitting low on the mountainside, no one is able to yet ascertain the damage.

The situation is going to get increasingly more precarious unless the government or aid agencies – in one form or another – do something to ensure regular transport of basic necessities into Gilgit-Baltistan. Because the Karakoram Highway (KKH) is submerged between Attabad and Ghulmit (Gojal), there is no way to bring in provisions from China. In Ghizer District, damage was extensive; multiple portions of the road are washed out and several bridges destroyed. Babusar Pass, we are told, is partially closed due to rain-damage. My sister-in-law, Neelum, arrived for her summer vacations from Lahore two days ago. It had taken her nearly five days to make the trip between Rawalpindi and Gilgit Town due to road-blocks, washed-out highway and bridges. I’m told there are five bridges that will have to be replaced along the KKH – two are in Besham and one in Pattan. There is supposedly an alternate route available through Naran Kaghan but its reliability isn’t yet confirmed.

In Gilgit, food and fuel provisions are fast disappearing. We have had two hours of electricity this morning, either from the Kargah Nala power station (which was partially damaged in the original floods last week) or Naltar to the north of Gilgit. Guru sub-station, the power house that supplies Gilgit Town’s power, was – depending on who relays the story – partially damaged or completely washed away. There are estimates that it will take at least another month or two to restore regular power to the city. There is a civilian diesel fuel depot in Jaglote, a small town an hour’s drive or so to the south of Gilgit, which has been taken over by the Army. It maintains one month’s worth of emergency fuel in case of emergency, but the Army – we’re told – has reserved the fuel for its own trucks “in case of an attack by India.”

Diesel supplies in Gilgit Town and the surrounding environs are finished; petrol is now running out. Because of the lack of power – on a good day we receive two to three hours, and a bad day one hour or so – many people are relying on generators. Water from the mountain channels – depending on the day and if there have been rains – is either usable for cooking and drinking (if boiled) or not at all. The water we had all last week was soupy with mud. We can no longer find milk or filtered water in the bazaars; flour and rice are running out, although there still seems to be cooking oil available. Because it may take another month for the KKH to open again – two weeks is an optimistic estimate – people are increasingly concerned they will run out of food. Ramazan may help, in a way, by reducing daily consumption rates. I’m still researching in the local hospitals and will ask them about medicine supplies; when I spoke the store master at the District Headquarter (DHQ) two days ago, they said they had sufficient supplies (although ‘sufficient’ is hardly ever enough to meet peoples’ needs).

The picture was taken last week, it shows submerged homes in Sakarkui, a small village to the north-west of Gilgit Town. I suspect the best thing to do is publicise the government’s inattention to the area and its peoples."


Emma Varley, currently in Gilgit, contributed for Dawn.com

Source: Difficult times

Stranded at Home?

and Pakistanis inherit cataclysm and Presidency..though latter being more deplorable..

The last two weeks have been deadliest in the recent month with a plane crash costing 152 lives and crew, flood killing more than 1400 people and 2.5 million homeless and rescuers are struggling to reach more than 30,000 people still cut off by the floods, which are the worst in 80 years. Worse is the fear of outbreak of diarrhoea and cholera among the homeless while food is scarce and water supplies have been contaminated by the floods. The things had not fallen down when Karachi went mad killing more than 50 people after an MPA was killed on August 02, 2010.

So a country would expect its leadership especially government to set aside all task and take up humanitarian assistance and rescue/ rehabilitation work at priority.

Correction, its Pakistan! People of Pakistan inherit catastrophe and presidency with latter being more deplorable.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is continuing with his plan, to enjoy family's stately home in the French countryside and to visit Britain to make him understand war on terror and 'beg' despite outrageous remarks made by Prime Minister David Cameron in Bangalore, at a time when the country is struggling to cope with what is being described as its worst floods in 80 years.

Yes his presence in the country would not, in any way, be conducive to rescue and relief efforts. But in such circumstances isn't it common practise that heads of state or government, at least make symbolic gestures of solidarity by putting off pleasure trips. But oh yes, launching political career of Bilawal 'Bhutto' zardari is far more important than the lives of half of population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and millions of displaced people. Besides, we have 'rich precedent' of axing life of millions of people and billions of Rs. from national enchequer to personal accounts in name of earth quake and internally displaced people.

The outburst of anger against such reckless and mind boggling heartless behavior has been overwhelming , be it online blogs,print media and electronic media. The question remain, who is listening? The governments with quacks like dasti, fozia wahab debating non-issue through senseless talk or the Prime minister Gilani who kept addressing public rallies in connection with a coming by-election despite the havoc in country?
Sad state of Affairs of Country and hearts.
Please spread the message of ways of helping the people affected by floods

http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/08/03/pakistan-floods-how-to-help

Help wherever and however you can!

How many disaster does it take to make an efficient National Disaster Management System?

Airblue’s crash was one of the most tragic moments for Pakistanis but the uncontrolled stream of incorrect, misleading information over television channels made it worse, especially for the families of the victim. I am short of words for the utterly irresponsible and U turn taken by two minister's claiming recovery of injured bodies and black box and subsequently giving a contradictory statement. Sobbing relatives made their way to emergency rooms, catching hold of doctors, medical staff and gate keepers, desperate to find out how many had been brought in.


Pakistan has seen enough natural, terrorism-related disaster but no comprehensive disaster management system was in place. The head of NDMA claims that it is not responsibility of his authority to recover the body. So whose is it to coordinate? How many disasters does NDMA need to learn respond on time? If it is the army to rescue and respond in every disaster why waste millions of tax money on a defunct authority like NDMA?

Irresponsible reporting of various news channels Geo News, ARY, Express and Dunya, made desperate relatives rush to hospitals after learning from the channels that some passengers of the ill-fated Flight ED-202 had survived and were being brought to hospitals. Sobbing relatives made their way to emergency rooms, catching hold of doctors, medical staff and gate keepers, desperate to find out how many had been brought in.

The same had not yet ended when the news anchors in name of reporting barged in the houses of deceased, interviewing the grief stricken families trying to cash in the tears for more mingle jingle advertisements. Never have I seen such insensitivity and ruthlessness for country fellowmen. To add fury to people at home, the news channels started showing body bags which is not only morally unethical but must these channels must be taken off air for atleast 24 hours. Equally outrageous was the TV reporter on GEO boosting about being the first female reporter telling tales of her bravery to invade privacy in such sensitive moments.

It is indeed shameful state of affairs for the reigning ministers and the news channels for misleading vulnerable people already broken down by feeling of disbelief and anguish. Where there are laws for misleading financial statements/ documents, why not accountability for playing havoc with people in grief.

MANAGEMENT LESSON FROM PATHAN

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops – a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.
At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a Pathan got on. Six feet four, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the conductor and said, "Pathan doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.
Conductor didn't argue with Pathan, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened – Pathan got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next..
This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Pathan was taking advantage of the poor conductor. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.
By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So, on the next Monday, when Pathan once again got on the bus and said, "Pathan doesn't pay!"
The driver stood up, glared back at Pathan, and screamed, "And why not?"
With a surprised look on his face, Pathan replied, "Pathan has a bus pass."

Management Lesson: Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working
hard to solve one.

Unsung Heroes - Inspiring

The Unsung Heroes of Microfinance Blog NextBillion.net Development through Enterprise
by Chris Megargee,

Global Partnerships PartnerTrip Coordinator Justiniano Osco drove his dirt bike right into the meeting room where 11 women—members of a communal lending group, or village bank, sat awaiting him. The “room” was an open field in Achocalla, Bolivia. Justiniano is the loan officer who leads the twice-monthly meetings for this village bank, providing trainings, facilitating the loan process and supporting these women who are working to better their lives with the help of microfinance.
Justiniano visits 20 village bank meetings a week, often in remote areas.
I had the opportunity to meet Justiniano—a loan officer with Global Partnerships microfinance partner CRECER—last summer. I was immediately impressed by the respect that Justiniano showed the members of this village bank and the rapport he had with them. He started the meeting off with an icebreaker that involved jumping up and down in place—which led to lots of giggles as the women bounced in their broad skirts, derby hats perched on their heads and long braids flapping at their sides. He then led a participative training on good nutrition, complete with posters of the food pyramid.
Though he has every reason to be proud of his work, Justiniano is soft spoken and humble. An agronomist by training, he has served as a loan officer with CRECER for 11years. He loves his job, in large part because he knows he is helping his own people. Like many microfinance loan officers, Justiniano has a background that is very similar to the clients that he serves. He grew up in a poor, rural community: His parents were small farmers, working a tiny plot of land with a few animals.
“My childhood was very difficult. I didn’t know what shoes were,” he explained. He described how he and his clients “share the same culture, the same traditions, the same language.” (The entire bank meeting was conducted in Aymara, the indigenous language spoken in this region.)
Justiniano’s daily attire is a padded jumpsuit he wears for protection over his clothes as he rides his motorcycle. It’s a must, given that he visits four village bank meetings per day, traveling over rough dirt roads to get to each one.

Justiniano visits 20 meetings every week, with some requiring two-and-a-half-hour ride. His dedication to visiting communities in remote regions is typical of micofinance loan officers and reflects a key difference between microfinance institutions and traditional banks. While banks have an office in the city and require you to go to them for service, microfinance organizations are proactive in their outreach, traveling to where their clients live.

Justiniano is one of hundreds of loan officers with Global Partnerships microfinance partners who make these connections happen. If there are heroes in the world of microfinance, surely Justiniano and the many loan officers like him must be counted among them. The members of the 20 village banks Justiniano visits on his dirt bike each week would surely agree.

"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man."

Hotel ewins acclaim after handing in $50,000 cash
Mr Khan has been invited to Lahore to receive an award for his good deed
A Pakistani hotel employee has won acclaim after handing in over $50,000 (£33,000) in cash that had been left behind by a guest.
Essa Khan, 51, discovered the money in $100 notes left in the room of a Japanese worker at the Serena Hotel in Gilgit. Mr Khan, who earns about 21,000 rupees ($235; £153) a month, says he never considered keeping the money.
He has been invited to receive an award from a state governor for his honesty.
"My duty with the hotel and my family upbringing teaches me nothing else," he said.
"Times are hard for everyone, but that doesn't mean we should start stealing and taking things which do not belong to us."
The father-of-five says he hopes the incident will help portray his country in a good light.
The Pakistani government has been riddled with accusations of corruption. "I want people around the world to know that there are many good people in Pakistan - everybody is not a terrorist here."
Hotel manager Rajid Uddin told the BBC there had been similar instances where lost items had been returned, but none "on this magnitude". He said the guest had been relieved when the cash was found. "He was naturally very worried as he wasn't able to figure out where he had lost the money," he said. Mr Khan said he had already received an award from the hotel, and that Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, had congratulated him and invited him to Lahore for a ceremony.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10603417

I can only wish the current leadership of hunza might learn lesson of selfless honesty, good practices and dedication to responsibilites from Mr. Khan.

'Thankyou Raisani'- Sharing an article par excellence.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-degree-fake-real-raisani-qs-08

Reaction to statement of Raisani in The News: Thank you, Raisani

Thank you, Raisani

It happened one bright sunny morning in the Land of the Pure that one fine gentleman, Mr Raisani of Balochistan, announced to the whole world that cared enough to listen: a degree is a degree, genuine or fake, it doesn’t matter. Armed with this information, my gardener, who is quite apt at the art of digging things, decided to go for a mid-career transition, and opened a dentist’s shop. I say shop because the word clinic is not in his lexical range. He is very happy, this gardener. He digs at people’s molars and slashes pieces of their tongues, and beams at a newly acquired piece of framed paper that adorns half of his clinic’s… errr... shop’s wall. It’s a fake degree, ladies and gentlemen, bought at the local meat shop. But what does it matter, a degree is a degree even if it is acquired from a butcher, we don’t care. Talking about this honourable Mr Butcher, he, as a side business, has opened up a fake-degree issuance bureau under the direct patronage of 144 or more members of parliament. Since he is very good at cutting guts and cleaning them inside out, he is thinking of getting a surgeon’s degree for himself. Would the respected Mr Raisani, who thinks a degree is a degree even if it is fake, allow this newly inducted member of the medical community to perform a surgery on his esteemed being? It needn’t be a gut surgery, a simple realigning of the reality-check hormones would do.I must say I am a bit resentful of Mr R who has taken so long to establish the worth of genuine degrees. I mean, why didn’t he say so when I was wasting the most precious years of my life writing assignments and reading obscure philosophies to get my genuine degrees? Why didn’t I just buy some fake ones? But it is never too late. Next time I go for a job and my employer tells me that I need a PhD in order to get a permanent job, I will simply invest in a fake degree. Can Dr Awan please guide me in this particular field? I would also request the HEC to please allocate a special fund for buying fake degrees so that the poor members of the academia, like me, could put decent food on their tables.All in all I am quite looking forward to the impact these golden words of wisdom might have on my students. As soon as the summer holidays are over and these students are back, I plan to spread this new mantra of prosperity among them. “Haven’t you heard?” I’d say, “A degree is a degree and it doesn’t have to be earned.” Imagine the relief; no designing courses, no sleepless nights reading books, no marking of papers, no keeping of records. In fact, no universities! Oh, here’s an idea: why don’t we just close these places of indulgence and turn them into gambling dens?I recommend a career change to all the people who work at universities. As far as I am concerned, I’ve already decided what I am going to do with my life. I am going to join the Defend-Zardari movement. It’s new, it’s happening, it doesn’t require an unblemished past, and above all you get great coverage on the media. The only thing I will have to do is change my name so that it begins with an F, and learn the art of bullheadedness in the face of intelligence. The perks are amazing. I will get free grooming, free face-lift, free wardrobe for Capital Talk, and yesss, a 10 per cent from the latest ‘Buy-the-lawyers fund’ every time I say the words democracy, danger, sacrifice and revenge… not to mention non-state actors, whatever the hell they are.

Khar-e-Isa agar ba Makka rawad.....in words of Sadii

All I can say about the above incomprehensive and absurd statements is:

Khar-e-Isa agar ba Makka rawad

Chun bi aayad hunuz khar bashad

Shaikh Saadi (RA)

Translation: 'Even if Hazrat Isa’s donkey went to Makka many times, on its return it would still be the same donkey.'

The situation in Hunza is worsening and I dont see much hope for any improvement with this representation.

“I want a new invincible human being, insensitive to pain, resistant and indifferent about the quality of life of individuals.” Stalin

"Nothing is more unreliable than the populace, nothing more obscure than human intentions, nothing more deceptive than the whole electoral system."

These days politicians i.e the Government and opposition is probably are at their lowest in terms of modesty, integrity, intentions, morality and senseless diversions. The more you loathe them, the less.
Since devastation of Attabad , the people of Hunza are living in despair. The protocol savvy government ministers particularly the gilgit Baltistan elected representative have more important things on thier mind which includes distributing funds (Millions of Rs.) to self acclaimed righteous Lawyers and boycotting Shandur festival. I was at loss of words to hear and read about the 'Boat Mafia' operating in the devastated area of Hunza. Insensitivity is the lowest level of humanity and we are aspiring nation of Stalin not Quaid-e-Azam.



So where are we heading as a nation as an individual. 'Silence', at work, at home in our rooms. We take pride in being diplomatic (or hypocrites?) and staying silent by keeping away of issues. I recently read a quote that there is no remedy for a nation where funeral is the only event that masses choose to raise their voice and come out of their homes.

Why I chose to write, here's the answer:

"I don't want to tell your story because you're a insensitive, self-centered moron. I've told a lot of stories about young people, and I always feel there's hope."
Joel Schumacher

"Par tou-e-Noor" - You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

In continuation to my previous post http://zaree.blogspot.com/2010/05/launch-of-par-tou-e-noor.htmlI am sharing details of the project Par tou-e-Noor.

Par tou-e-Noor

Objective:
A pilot project initiated for the purpose of granting interest free loans for micro enterprise and providing professional advice regarding education to the bottom billion i.e. the poorest for sustainable livelihoods.

Par tou-e-Noor shall be operation from the month of July i.e. July 11,2010. I will ensure that the success stories are also uploaded from time to time keeping the privacy of families intact. Following are the details of the products being offered as the first step towards the objective of Par tou-e-Noor.

1. Tiny Ray of Light پرتو ريز

Loan limit: Pk Rs.5,000/- to 15,000/-
Period of Loan : 8 months (Max.)
Frequency of repayment : Bi-monthly/ monthly
Profit Margin : As per mutual agreement between two parties i.e. for purpose of covering the transaction cost only.

The Target segment of this product is the poor who have a little skill and are willing to start a tiny business (within/outside) home. The families refusing to accept charity shall be given priority.


2. Light of Trade نور از تجارت

Loan Limit: Pk Rs.20,000/- to 60,000/-
Period of Repayment : negotiable 18 months (max.)
Frequency of repayment : As per cash flow projected but at least once every month
Profit Margin : As per mutual agreement between two parties in order to cover transaction costs.

Target market: The product is particularly for individuals/ family of existing entrepreneurs not having enough cushion to generate working capital for business expansion. The entrepreneurs engaged in micro enterprise and require capital for making themselves sustainable shall be given preference.
Business type: Embroidery, Handy-craft, stitching/sewing, selling clothes, grocery shops, transportation, Beauty parlors, milk/food business.

The purpose of loan features above is not to enslave the beneficiaries to paper work/ time tables rather it is for purpose of documentation and record. The terms and conditions are negotiable to give hope and divert all efforts for a better future as the name Par tou-e-Noor itself means 'Ray of Light'.

As previously requested in my previous blog post, http://zaree.blogspot.com/2010/05/clarification-regarding-par-tou-e-noor.html
I welcome voluntary, professional help through your mind, heart, skill, time and material from all those who believe in 'we must be the change we all wish to see in the world.'
Email: par.tou.e.noor@gmail.com

Change awaited!!

Social Business- For-profit, low-cost housing development and management company

Jawad Aslam speaking at Acumen Fund's *spark! event, a benefit hosted by Acumen's New York chapter in May 2010. *spark! talks share stories of inspiring individuals igniting change around the world.

Jawad is the CEO of Ansaar Management Co. (AMC), a low-cost housing development and management company in Lahore, Pakistan, and an Acumen Fund investee; Jawad was also an Acumen Fellow in 2008. For more on Jawad's work, visit http://www.acumenfund.org/investment/ansaar-management-company.html

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind, don't matter and those who matter, don't mind.”

So much for blogging every day!!
Where does the time go? I want to blog but yet when I see this blank post, my mind goes blank. I do have things to say but at the moment, it escapes me what it was....

I did good today by doing my daily job and family responsibilities list complete. I feel good every thing, but yet there is a feeling of uncertainty, worry.....about what, I've not a clue.. just one of those silly things that has no basis in any known fact or reason. I feel sad but I don't know why....Now that would be the height of foolishness.
*shrugs*
I don't know...

I am sure I will wake up tomorrow with a happy face, knowing that even if my wallet doesn't feel full, I will still be making progress, since I have done good in some things.

I know that I can do it. I can take control of my life. I know all this. I REALLY DO. I just have to convince my mind that I am worth it. I know that I am, but at times my mind plays tricks on me and tells me why bother.....you'll just be a side stone and you're making it harder on the rest of the family by trying to compromise/ juggle up priorities. I just need to take control of my mind and not let it control me. I am the one who gets to say I will do it. It's just a matter of mind over matter, right? *sigh* and what a lot of matter there is.......

Quote of the day..by words of Nadeem Farooque Paracha

"A brilliant book of guidance (referrring to Quran Sharif) is thus turned into a pseudo-science manual. Why? It’s simple. If one ‘straightens’ an ignorant Muslim, paradise beckons. But if you bring an educated one ‘back on the path,’ Lord knows, some posh prime real state awaits in beautiful heaven."

Do read Paradise Pulp
and Man bites dog in one sitting.

Nothing 'Old Fashioned' being respectful or good manners

This is something that was poking me for a long time.

Do we perceive being respectful or good manners as 'Old fashioned' and have we limited our good manners to those superior to us?

Let me explain. Some days back I entered the meeting hall in my office and what a pleasant surprise it was. One of the men stood up respectully and said hello. The other three looked at him partly confused partly embarrassed. Initially my boss looked at me with the doubtful eye probably assuming I know the man. I however thanked the man and sat down. The man, being confident and certainly well groomed, explained that men should stand up as good manners. There is a pause and I see other men shrugging off idea presumably thinking 'yeah well maybe'. The man continued and said Muslims must pay respect as it is 'sunnat', Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H) used to stand up whenever his daughter Bibi Fatimah and his nurse, Bibi Haleema entered the room. Again regardless of number of time the respectable figures entered, Hazrat Muhammad stood up in respect.
So the other men in y room are now showing signs of embarrassment. Well the discussion then moves forward to the core of issue.

Day End.

I foolishly expect that maybe in the civilized world, good manners are still the thing of the day.

But Lo and Behold, to my disbelief, the men (quote 'Muslim men') barely know any such gesture or shrug off the idea as too tiresome.

My verdict: Good manners are never out of fashion nor can be enforced via religious sentiments


Stubborn as I am, I even went far to search the Internet for seeing is it only that standing up gesture is associated with Islam or is it prevalent in any other culture.

Surprised to see that apart from Muslim tradition mentioned above, standing in respect of women and elderly was an important point of etiquette in the Middle East. I found a newsletter where a school in USA is especially arranging regular programs educating and re-enforcing good manners and standing in respect for women was important part of the program. Yes the USA that traded off the idea for respect for women to equal rights. I found very important evidence for the same in British etiquette.

Needless to comment on our failings as Pakistanis to imitate the blatant aspects of western society and regretfully by parents fairly well educated. Ever wondered why We would never imitate the habit to queuing or eating orderly at functions, saying thank you to subordinates or politely refusing service.

I am not trying to enforce the idea that respecting women is the only good manner Rather the its just a starting point to ponder over our life if we feel ourselves and people around being worthless enough by displaying exceptionally rude, ill-mannered habits merely to prove indifference. Indifferent is just not meant for 'us', we are suppose to be and should proud to be sensibly warm, emotional and hospitable.

Lastly I have no shame to confess that as a woman, although I don't expect this particular gesture, I would feel very pleasantly honored (even if strange) if a guy stand up as a respect. I have always felt chivalrous men are a rarity these days, and it's a pleasure to have a man practice it from his heart. It will make him very unique in the girls' eyes. Even having a guy open the passenger side door before he goes to the other side to the wheel...is a nice gesture. Not all men practice that, and it's alright. But when some do, it feels good.

RICHER THAN YOU THINK? Innovative ideas- must visit website

HOW RICH ARE YOU?

Every year we gaze enviously at the lists of the richest people in world.
Wondering what it would be like to have that sort of cash. But where
would you sit on one of those lists? Here's your chance to find out.

http://www.globalrichlist.com

Just enter your annual income into the box below and hit 'show me the money'

I'm loaded.
It's official.
I'm the 788,211,024 richest person on earth!



How rich are you? >>

RICHER THAN YOU THINK?

How do you feel about that? A bit richer we hope. Richer and ready to give some of your newly found wealth to those who need it most. It not hard - just slip your hand in your pocket and pull out something special. Something that can help redress the balance - and also make you feel uncommonly good. Many peoples lives could be happier if you donated just one hour's salary (approx $5.78 - UK estimate).

All you have to do is make a choice.

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.

$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.

$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.

$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

DID YOU KNOW..?
Three decades ago, the people in well-to-do countries were 30 times better off than those in countries where the poorest 20 percent of the world's people live. By 1998, this gap had widened to 82 times.

New Element Discovered in Pakistan (Zardarium)

Pakistani researchers have discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, so far only discovered and found in Pakistan , has been named Zardarium (Symbol = Zm).
It has
Ø 1 Presitron
Ø 1 Priministron
Ø 77 ministrons
Ø 98 deputy Ministrons
Ø 298 National Assemblions
Ø 100 Senatrons,
Giving it an atomic mass of 575. These 575 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called pillocks. Since Zardarium has no electrons, it is inert, impotent and ineffective. However, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.

A tiny amount of Zardarium can cause a reaction, that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete, depending upon the kick-back percentage that Zardarium can get.
It is neither radioactive nor active and is largely inert except for its psychopathic attraction for corrupt morons, Ministrons, Assemblions and Senatrons. In this respect, another two important inert iso-dopes, Nawazium (Symbol = Nm) and Shahbazium (Symbol = Sm) play a vital role as catalysts by their moronic ineptitude. Zardarium has a normal half-life of 2 to 5 years. It does not decay, but instead, the whole country undergoes a re-organizational decay in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
The most important chemical quality of Zardarium is its magnetic properties for gold, Dollars, and corrupt morons. In fact, Zardarium 's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become Ministrons and forming iso-dopes as a by-product. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Zardarium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as a critical morass.
When catalyzed with money, Zardarium becomes Presidentium(symbol = Pz), an element that radiates just as much energy as Zardarium, since it has half as many pillocks but twice as many morons.

Courtesy, Mr. Adil Farhad, an invisible yet active reader of my Blog!

The horrendous and appalling attack

A person who makes headlines, was in headlines himself.

Talat Hussain, a Pakistani journalist who was captured during a naval attack on a Gaza—bound aid flotilla, along with his two team members arrived in Jordan yesterday following their release by Israeli authorities.

He alleged that Israeli soldiers were shooting people in cold blood. He said that the commandos “shot people in the forehead.” “I witnessed myself the first Israeli assault on the ship. There was no weapon on the ship,” Mr. Hussain told news channel by phone from Jordan. “Scuffles broke out when Israelis tried to arrest people. After that people threw at the Israelis whatever they got hold of.
“Four people were shot in the forehead in front me. I witnessed four people dying,”
Being a veteran journalist, we are sure to see exclusive videos and news of the said event in his show. The show will initially attract people country wide, not to mention the jingled commercials will follow and callers shall call up to appreciate the courage of the journalist. Fair enough.
The question is 'what is next'?
According to United Nations statistics, about 70 per cent of Gazans survive on less than $1 a day, 75 per cent survive on food aid and 60 per cent lack regular access to water. The level of unemployment is probably the highest in the world. Hamas reportedly taxes the goods that are smuggled in through tunnels from Egypt, while the Mubarak regime — the second highest recipient of American aid in the Middle East — has collaborated with the Israeli authorities in trying to shut down this unusual avenue of commerce. (source dawn)
Turkey will of course take sever measures of cutting off ties with it 'once buddy' Israel. Europe may react a little not that wouldn't be more of a stir here and there and ineffective UN Resolutions. America despite tagging Barack Obama as a 'perspective Muslim' due to his Muslim background shall continue to 'regret' and 'urge investigation' into this or such issues. Arab countries, most of them much on their agenda such as 'dance and make merry' than to condemn Israel.
Pakistan has created Israeli aggression natured fans itself through Taliban, sometimes Punjabi sometime wazirastani, all hoping in the van to heaven. The barbarism of sectoral killing in no less than the barbaric acts by Israel.
Sad but true that the divide created amongst Muslim Countries especially Arab Countries esp. Palestinian Political parties due to vested interest and ethnic discrimination have made us insensitive enough that neither any humiliation or barbarism in past nor in future are likely to make much of a difference.
Pray, we all stay in peace.

Inciting Intolerance- source dawn blog

Hypocrisy it is.. The sentence ‘Congratulations, Michael Berry your message of hate resonated all the way back to Lahore’ hits the nail. He confessed how low his mind and soul can go to prove his point but didnot acknowledge that he is insensitive enough to fall low just to earn ratings for his show.

Inciting Intolerance

“I’ll tell you this — if you do build a mosque, I hope somebody blows it up. I hope the mosque isn’t built, and if it is, I hope it’s blown up.”

Those comments aired live on the radio, less than 36-hours before half-a-dozen terrorists armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide jackets stormed into two Ahmadi places of worship in Lahore, killing at least 95 people and injuring over a hundred worshipers.

But that message of hate wasn’t aired in Lahore or even in Pakistan. It was aired live across Houston, Texas.

The man behind the comments was Michael Berry, a former Houston City Council member and an award-winning radio talk show host with KPRC-950 AM.

In fact, the Michael Berry Show, which the comments were made on, was recently named the #1 talk show at 5 pm in the state of Texas. The show also won first place in the Houston Press Club Awards for best radio talk show in 2008.

Berry’s audacious comments were made to a live caller named Tony, who wanted to respond to the host’s opening comments in the show about how plans to build a mosque near Ground zero in NYC would be ‘disaster.’

Michael Berry: Tony on the West side I see you’re a big fan!
Tony: Hey Michael, I’m wondering if you are a bigot or..
Michael Berry: What’s a bigot?
Tony: Let me just get my point and then you can talk all you want because that’s what you do
Michael Berry: Okay…
Tony: Now you so eloquently put it that they were terrorists in 9/11, that’s fine everyone agrees with it, then you beautifully go on to say they are building a mosque. Who is this they? Who is this ‘they,’ you are talking about? I’m an American Muslim, so I’m not an American? I can’t build a mosque where I want to? How are you attaching criminals who flew planes, terrorist, murders who flew planes in 9/11 and linking them to building a mosque in New York?
Michael Berry: Is Tony your real name?
Tony: It is my real name. It’s my real name because people have called me Tony since I was born. That’s why. But what difference does it make what my name is?
Michael Berry: You just don’t sound like a Tony. Alright, well here’s the deal
Tony: Uh huh
Michael Berry: No! No Tony, you can’t build a mosque!
Tony: Why not?
Michael Berry: At the site of 9/11
Tony: Why not?
Michael Berry: No you can’t…and I’ll tell you this if you do build a mosque, I hope somebody blows it up!
The complete live call can be heard here.

The caller Tony responded to Berry’s comments by saying, “Good for you! That puts you right in the category of the people who flew the planes.”

And then the following conversation took place:
Michael Berry: really?
Tony: Yes, you people are exactly the same as those terrorists who flew those planes.
Michael Berry: Who is you people?
Tony: What?
Michael Berry: Who is you people? Whatever your name is.
Tony: You people, you right-wing nut jobs. That’s who you are.
Michael Berry: Let me tell you something Tony. It’s the right wing nut jobs that are going to keep this country safe from people like you.
Tony: Hold on, saving from who? Who are you saving us from ? Saving from me?
Michael Berry: No. Listen. You are in a building box. Its right wing radicals like me that are going to keep this country safe for you and everyone else from the people that are flying the planes from the countries that you fled from. Okay? If you want to identify with those people, go live with them. If you want to live in countries where they are practicing radical Islam: if you want to live there and be a part of that, Then by all means, whatever your real name is go do it. If you feel offended that we don’t want a mosque on top of 9/11. Then you have no shame or you are full of audacity.

Comments like that coming from a popular radio host in the city I live in aren’t just hurtful, they are scary. He clearly had no problem equating the 9/11 terrorists with ALL Muslims. And he had no problem making a call for “bombing a mosque” live on the airwaves in a city with 17 mosques and close to 200, 000 Muslims.

People like Michael Berry are killing the spirit of liberty and civil rights that define the United States of America.

Berry actually had the guts to say to the caller, “Is Tony your real name? You just don’t sound like a Tony.”

The irony is his own wife of 17 years, Nandita Berry, goes by “Nandy”. According to his about Michael Berry page she “was born and raised in Hyderabad, India. They are the proud parents of 3-year-old “Michael T”, who was born in Ethiopia.”

So while this white right-wing public rep cum radio host boosts of his diversity ‘by being married to an Indian immigrant and having adopted baby from Africa’ he also calls for a mosque to be blown up.

What kind of hypocrisy is that?

As the caller named Tony put it “you are exactly the same as those terrorists who flew those planes.”
‘They’ say they are fighting in the name of Islam and then they storm into places of worship and kill 95 God-fearing Ahmadis.

Congratulations, Michael Berry your message of hate resonated all the way back to Lahore.
PS: Michael Berry graciously issued a half-baked apology on the KPRC-950’s website:

“While I stand by my disagreement of the building of the mosque on the site, I SHOULD NOT have said ‘I hope someone blows it up.’ That was dumb, and beneath me. I was trying to show “Tony” how much I opposed his opinion, but I went too far. For that, I apologize to my listeners.”

But the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is not satisfied. As the largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization in the US, they are demanding action from the FCC (the American version of PTA). In a press release the National Executive Director Nihad Awad has said:

“Calls for acts of violence against houses of worship must never be tolerated or excused. We ask the FCC to demonstrate that incitement to violence is never acceptable on our nation’s airwaves.”

Sahar Habib Ghazi is a Houston-based journalist, who also blogs at www.outsideislamabad.com

Shocking!!

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/sci-tech/17-smoking+toddler+highlights+indonesias+tobacco+addiction-ek-05

DAWN.COM | Sci-Tech | Pakistanis create rival Muslim Facebook

DAWN.COM | Sci-Tech | Pakistanis create rival Muslim Facebook

After all expression is free!

ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis outraged with Facebook over “blasphemous” caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed have created a spin-off networking site that they dream can connect the world's 1.6 billion Muslims, reports AFP.

A group of six young IT professionals from Lahore, the cultural and entertainment capital of Pakistan, Launched www.millatfacebook.com on Tuesday for Muslims to interact online and protest against blasphemy.

The private venture came after a Pakistani court ordered a block on Facebook until May 31, following deep offence over an “Everyone Draw Mohammed Day” page considered “blasphemous” and “sacrilegious”.

“Millatfacebook is Pakistan's very own, first social networking site. A site for Muslims by Muslims where sweet people of other religions are also welcome,” the website tells people interested in signing up.

Dubbed MFB, after Facebook's moniker FB, its founder says professionals are working around the clock to offer features similar to those pioneered by the wildly popular California-based prototype.

Each member has a “wall” for friends to comment on. The site offers email, photo, video, chat and discussion board facilities.

The Urdu word “Millat” is used by Muslims to refer to their nation. The website claims to have attracted 4,300 members in the last three days — mostly English-speaking Pakistanis in their 20s.

The number of aficionados may be growing, but the community is a drop in the ocean of the 2.5 million Facebook fans in Pakistan and there have been some scathing early reviews of the start-up.

Neither has Facebook been immediately reachable for comment.

“We want to tell Facebook people 'if they mess with us they have to face the consequences',” said Usman Zaheer, the 24-year-old chief operating officer of the software house that hosts the new site.

“If someone commits blasphemy against our Prophet Mohammed then we will become his competitor and give him immense business loss,” he told AFP, dreaming of making “the largest Muslim social networking website”.

Once signed up, members are a click away from debate on the bulletin board.

For example, “Enticing Fury” wrote: “The reason is that this forum must be reserved for ALL MUSLIMS OF THE WORLD and not only Pakistan. So using the word MILLAT is very good!

“Well done guys. You have made a great alternative for the whole Muslim ummah (nation)!”

But the nascent quality of the work-in-progress website has preoccupied and dismayed some, as well as drawn at least one damning newspaper review.

One member wrote: “they need 2 have more info”.

Another posted a mournful: “need games here as well. I miss cafe world” referring to the popular Facebook page where members can run their own virtual cafe.

“It was a good idea... as it can give us a forum to connect, but its reach is too limited,” Mohammad Adeel, a 31-year-old pharmacist told AFP in Karachi, who joined to keep up with friends he missed due to the Facebook ban.

Local newspaper was crushing. “The quality of user experience is so abysmal that it does not merit the humble title, 'Facebook clone',” it wrote online.

“To sum up, MillatFacebook is a bold effort... but it is unlikely to capture a large audience, judging by the online experience it offers currently.”

But Zaheer is pleased with his handiwork, saying the site has already attracted members living in Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Pakistani law student Rana Adeel, 21, signed up to MillatFB in Lahore after receiving invites through SMS and email from friends.

“In two days, I got more than seven friends. If the Facebook ban is lifted, I'll keep networking on both,” he told AFP.

To go by the Book or follow the soul..

Young professional Pakistanis, have so much less to share, experience and learn when it comes to seeing the world from a step ahead of what is presented to us in print and electronic media. Reason is simple. We are accustomed to go by the book from our initial childhood years and unfortunately, the book in literal meaning as well as the mentors, have very less to share about the changes in real world. How many of us have the opportunity of being guided to read or listen about various causes, creative innovations and change makers during our years as student? I see parents, sp those that are professionals scanning up to date schools and end up appreciating schools that tend to celebrate Muslim and 'international' festivals, including the utterly useless festival of Halloween. But how many of them question if the school management have ever have opted to celebrate change makers, arranged awareness campaign for various causes, how many of the students know about grameen, how many have ever been told that people in Africa die of malaria, how many of the Internet savvy kids have been directed to visit UN Volunteering or Bankers without Borders websites, how many of the parents have encouraged the spirit of charity?
It is for this reason that I feel that children are growing up nowadays with loads and loads of information and exposure but lack depth. They are handicapped before the words of book when it comes to critical analysis, exposure of real world issues, their role in the society/ family/ community, their priorities and unfortunately the concept of being content.
I was moved by reading a story of one of very young graduate who spend three days with family in Africa on Dollar 2 per day. How many of us know about it. Her experience changed her views/ perception towards life. It not about knowing the pains of poverty but its about sharing the bliss of being blessed and satisfied.
If the process of awareness and exposure starts earlier it helps in grooming of an individual and a balanced society. Its a loss to see parents treating a child like delicate glassware, self centred instead of making the child strong and encouraging responsibility sharing towards community and society.
I do wish that parents understand and question the their own attitude towards life and the attitude being made part of their child's personality by these expensive 'branded' schools.

Avoiding a crisis

Avoiding a crisis

There’s nothing new about the fact that the response of authorities in Pakistan to emergency situations is habitually delayed . We let the water rise way above our heads before even trying to do something about it. In simple words, every problem is ignored until it becomes chaotic and we have a crisis at hand.

So there is nothing surprising about the fact that the plea of the people of Hunza went unheard for months. On January 4 , an artificial lake emerged as a result of a massive landslide, blocking the Hunza River. The landslide killed 20, and left about 25,000 people stranded. According to a report :

Some local experts are of the opinion that early use of powerful water pumps to ejaculate the water at the blockade site and subsequent start of work to make spill way across the debris could have saved Gojal from turning into a water bomb. As the situation deteriorates, the people are left in psychological trauma as they see their houses, properties, crops and plants getting submerged. Desperately they wonder why the authorities declared the disaster a minor issue in the first place. After outburst of the lake, will the people of Gojal survive along with remnants of their properties or would it be a desperate battle for survival?

The report aptly summarises the Hunza crisis and the authorities’ indifference that has resulted in creating mayhem. The government response is now that of sympathy. But is sympathy enough after months of indifference and exposure to psychological and financial trauma?

For over five months, the people of Hunza have waited for the authorities to respond to the deteriorating situation, to save their property and to rehabilitate them, but to no avail. Now, over 40,000 people are at risk of being displaced as a result of the flood. Adding insult to injury, the Hunza IDPs will now join ranks with the millions of internally displaced people who have had to leave their homes due to militancy in the past year. The striking figures presented in this report suggest that in 2009 over three million Pakistanis were displaced as a result of the ongoing offensive in the country’s tribal belt; the most in the world and three times more than the Democratic Republic of Congo, which falls in second place.

Despite these shocking, painful, and distressing revelations, the authorities remain apathetic to displacement crises. Instead energies and attention have been focused on political games and power tussles. The voice of a common man is too often snubbed or only heard when the damage is irreversible. On Saturday, hundreds of people in Hunza held a 20-hour long protest against the government’s apathy toward the situation. Most of them chanted anti-government slogans after being disappointed by Prime Minister Gilani’s failure to announce relief for the affected people.

The Hunza disaster is yet another failure of the civilian, popularly elected government. Once again, the army and international relief organisations have been requested to step in. This tendency to pass the buck makes one wonder whether there is any sense of crisis management in the country, or if the government even feels remotely responsible or is aware of its role in such a situation.


If we look at the history of crisis management before this, whether the crisis was caused by war or natural disaster, the government’s role lacks transparency. The Hunza crisis is a ticking time bomb both in terms of the unpredictable flood and the bottled up anger of the people. If the government does not take this opportunity to address the pending issues of crisis management now, it is only a matter of time that we witness yet another exodus.

Source: Dawn news Blog

Game of corruption and deception

Deceptive promises

The leaders of PML (N) have expressed solidarity with the suffering people of Hunza Valley. Speaking with journalists at the Gilgit Airport Nawaz Sharif said that the Pakistani nation stands with the affected people in their hours of grief. He said that all out efforts will be made to ensure suffering of the people.

Addressing the IDPs at Hunza Shehbaz Sharif, chief minister of the Punjab, announced 10 crore rupees for rehabilitation of the people displaced from Attabad, Hunza. They also announced that 5 lac each will be paid to families who lost their dear ones in the landslide disaster. CM Punjab further said that children of the affected families will be provided free education and accommodation in the cities of their choice in Punjab.

He, however, did not openly support the demand of the local people for judicial inquiry into the alleged delay in excavation of the spillway.

Ground reality

Provincial government of Punjab is facing a deficit of Rs25 billion in tax collection. It demands money every month from the federal government, which contradicts provincial government’s claims of good governance. During year 2009-10, Punjab government requested Rs 37 billion from the federal government. SBP expressed grave concern over the overdraft amount, asking the Punjab government to take “remedial measures” on an urgent basis.

People seem to forget the 'Mulk Sunwaro' scheme fraud by Nawaz Sharif and now the political gimmick of Sasti Roti scheme.

Arrogant, ignorant, self-serving Leader of Hunza

http://tribune.com.pk/story/13405/hunza-lake-speaker-comes-down-hard-on-%E2%80%98rumour-mongers%E2%80%99/

And for the government, PPP is habitual of churning money and power by cashing in on corpses of their dead leaders. They have deliberately ignored the plight of hunza to direct billions of aid with comfortable help of the local representatives.

I just hope there is no catastrophe and the self-help oriented people of hunza shine out courageously as is their tradition.

Keep you thoughts

However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.

~Henry David Thoreau

PAK Ministers diagnosed with viral Conceit disease!!

“Conceit is the weirdest disease in the world. It makes everyone sick except the one who has it.”

It is now confirmed that the present government of Pakistan and the higher ups (esp. Chief Minister gigit baltistan and elected representatives) have fallen victim to the disease known as 'Conceit'.

Symptoms: It is a contagious disease that spreads by eyeing for power, handshakes with people in power and ignoring people without power. The patient suffers from memory loss and self denial from his own statements, desires to listen to music of misstated self-praise, addicted to gaining attention through false statements at press conferences, loves to move around uselessly under brigade of protocol, steals resources from national en chequer due to physchological disorder and evades all duties assigned.

Moment of self respect:
I am genuinely proud to belong from Hunza. Not for the sake of some identity crisis but today the courageous people of hunza showed that they are different, utterly refusing to accept charity from conceit stricken politicians and ministers who loomed above in their helicopters like bats and then shamelessly announcing that there is nothing but their 'moral' support for devastated families and flood prone area.

This is the reward that the land of hunza gets for presenting the ownership of their land to Pakistan after fighting off off dogra, after sacrificing lives in 1965 and 1971 wars and their red sacrifice for Kargil (not to mention when the NLI soldiers were left alone upfront to fight while other brigade 'chickened out'). The land which generates gold and silver through tourism and fruits is not entitled to compensation because PM announces that there is economy faces financial crunch?? What about millions spend on SUV, protocol, helicopter safari rides and perquisites? I am disgusted to see how indecisive and incomprehensible the PM is to even think of coming to hunza to announce such an absurd statement.
DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Villagers blast govt's response to Hunza flood

All this was enough to boil the blood when the 'dethroned and self proclaimed' Rani of Hunza jumps in the scene like mowla-jutt to show support and launch a protest campaign, sitting in Islamabad. Also giving a hilarious statement calling for 'whatever' commission for inquiry!!

Just to remind that Hunza is not asking for charity (sick idea of Bait-ul-Maal chief of distributing rice biryani and equally attention seeking PM to inaugurate the 'daigh' by cutting a ribbon, so what is next a chicken inauguration ceremony). People need compensation, land for themselves and some infrastructure support. Hunza people can handle the rest!